A Shroud of Twilight
by Zekran
Summary: Twilight Princess One choice and one result. He would be damning them all just to see her again. [Resubmitted since I'm a goof with the editing tools]


Disclaimer: I, like the goggles do and own NOTHINGS! Nintendo owns everything, praise be to them and all that.

Notes: Being unhappy with the ending to Twilight Princess, I figured giving a shot at a better ending was in order. It's short, only about a thousand words or so but I'm happy with it. If you catch any glaring mistakes or errors, drop me a line via email or call me a fool on the review part. I'll fix 'em as I see 'em or am told.

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"_Link, I, see you later."_

That sentence, combined with a simple mirror shattering had been the very thing that damned him on the spot. Legendary blade of Evils Bane, the weapon that had struck down more foes then Hyrule could have counted, slipped easily from the hero's grasp. A bystander might have commented that it looked positively unnatural. The shield quickly followed the resounding echo, all but unheard by the silent Hero.

When the Princess of Light was unable to draw more then a glimmer of movement from the Hero, drastic measures were taken. By the time the various couriers had summoned all of the required muscle, the same Hero had finally been motivated enough to animate. Dogged determination tempered by the invigorating power of the Triforce of Courage, had at long last had given the Hero a solution. When the Goron muscle arrived they found the savior of Hryule bent over, precariously collecting each fragment and sliver of the mirror. Nothing said would deter him, Princess, Odin maiden or bar owner. It took them a week to even move him beyond eyesight of the altar. Even then the Hero had left the Master Sword on the same altar, everything could and will wait.

Tracking down and gathering the fragments had been the simple part for the Banisher of Evil, assembling them correctly into a functional mirror turned into a massive undertaking. Every offer of assistance or partnership returned flatly refused, the ragged mailman having to fill in the blank sheets of paper that were handed to him. The provinces held celebrations of the freedoms regained all of them minus the sole reason for their success. Odin village's festival went by without as much as the shadow of the Hero presenting itself.

The children had tried to coercer out the reclusive savior, determined to see his face once more. Their endeavors were rewarded with nothing, only the golden red rays of the sun setting every time. In time they admitted failure, leaving the home cloaked in twilight. The Hero had heard them all along, every day and ignored their pleas and wails. The shard embedded in his hand was resolute. Resolute enough to hone the focus of a boy's mind into what he believed was right. Resolute to see the twilight again, to cast aside old untugged heartstrings and emotions to see the Twilight Princess again.

The mirror never fully repaired itself. The last fragment, the final fragment that would fit perfectly in the center of the glass just did not. No matter what force the Hero exerted onto the surface, the sliver was steadfast in its refusal to reunite. Days were spent towering over the object, the might of countless dungeons, temples, miles trekked and creatures fought surged down. The shard simply refused to slip into place; all the exertions focused upon it were magnified back. Specters of failure loomed all around the savior, thoughts pricked at his mind while emotions battered his center. Before the chilling sting of defeat could poison, exhaustion won the battle far quicker. Blackness enveloped the world in his sight, the errant shard still clutched feverishly.

The eyes of the Hero were closed but the eyes of the mind were flung open wide. He witnessed the results of his choices both made and unmade, the forth coming invasion of Hyrule by evil, the absence of a Hero to stop it and the inevitable drowning of the land under the sea. Then he saw her face, the gaze of the Twilight Princess, boring holes into his mind. Those brief moments of exhaustion induced sleep brought no peace and faint scraps of solace to the Hero. He would be damning them all.

As viciously as the sleep attacked, it retreated. The world ripping into the light once more singes of agony racing along the Hero's hand. Embedded was the shard, crimson fluid collecting in minuscule streams along his arm. A hauntingly familiar giggle echoed inside his head, chastising for the unnecessary drive to exhaustion and subsequent injury. Wild eyes scanned the gloom shrouded room in frantic searching. Nothing but the faint rays of a dying day greeted back.

Rising out of the dream, the Hero stood while placing the injured hand over the partial mirror. Pools of red grew rapidly over the shimmering surface, a bloody imprint of his hand created on the reflective glass. The shard effortlessly slid into place. He pressed harder. It rippled against the pressure, caving in upon itself. Another hand added itself to the mix, forcing the pathways into active life again, letting them surge to functioning with the blood of a Hero.

The substance grew thicker rising in a wave of shimmering silver around him. No fleeting glances were snatched of the Light world around him, no regrets or second thoughts whipped at the Hero's mind. With a final push against the material, it engulfed him completely. The clattering of the mirror, breaking and shattering once more upon the wooden planks became the unheard death knell for the kingdom of Hyrule. The savior was gone.

A sky of scorched yellows and oranges greeted the invader of Twilight. Brief attempts at rising to his feet were met with ill successes, stubbornly reminding him of the changes wrought by the land. Steadfast determination and courage of the unknown had allowed the once Hero back into the realm and it had deposited him rightly where he wished to be. The princess of Twilight was regarding him with a mixture of awe and growing sadness.

The lupine savior trudged the gap between them rapidly, settling into a seat on his haunches. She had already knelt before him sweeping back the sarong that clung to her. A dusky hand planted itself atop the crown of his brow, still displaying that bittersweet smile. "My silly little wolf.", Midna began. "You doomed them all." The Hero said nothing, only giving an affirming nod. "The mirror shattered again.", She continued while he gave no discernible response. "But that matters little now."

The Princess' fingertips trailed along to the tip of the lupine's nose, that forlorn smile grasping at the edges of hope. She stood languidly, crimson pupils never leaving his. It took a moment to grasp the fact that he had been crouching the entire time for no reason, standing with a brief shake of his head. Again he said nothing, the silence drawing her smile into a smirk.

The barb that had gotten the Hero once before prickled again, spilling from her lips with the same edge, "Am I so-." However, this time it was intercepted and silenced by a cunning move. The simple press of a kiss, lingering on until it became a full fledged embrace. A gesture of unspoken emotions held at bay for far too long. It was only after that did the Hero of Twilight, Savoir of Hyrule or simply Link as he wished to be called, decided to speak. "Yes, yes you are Midna."


End file.
